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Retro Renovation

Remodel & decorate in Mid Century Style

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47 colors of bathroom tile from B&W Tile

pam kueber - April 22, 2009, Updated: August 17, 2021

kate-pink-bathroom-photo
Kate used this tile to create her new pink bathroom. See her complete series of stories.

Palm Springs Stephan is a wealth of info, and provides this info on a Southern California company still producing the 50s pink tile so common during this era. Don’t use any other pinks – they are not right! I am so excited at this find – a big one for the retro renovation community.

bwg.jpgThe source: B&W Tile, with 3 locations and online, bwtile.com. See the warehouse photo to the left – they sure look like they’ve been in this Gardena location since the 50s. Reassuring!

Stephen adds: “B& W Tile makes this tile and keeps it in stock at all times in every size imaginable, from 1″ hex tile to 6×6 inch glazed and unglazed wall and floor tiles. I talked to their Riverside location just this afternoon, and the 4.25 by 4.25 glazed wall tile in 1950s pink (their inventory number 70W) is just $3.88 per square foot….I should be able to do the walls in my new bath just like the ones in that photo.”

Thank you thank you, Stephan! Original color – vast selection – great price. And, they produce the 1950s style wall-mounted & recessed china toilet paper, soap, and toothbrush holders (see toilet holder in top photo) also from original molds. Or you can use shiny stainless from Franklin Brass.

Spread the word and prepare the mastic.

This post — one of the most popular ever on Retro Renovation – was originally published on Dec. 14, 2007

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  1. Peggy S says

    I live in a 1952 house in Houston that still has its two original pink bathrooms. I am looking at the tub in the picture accompanying this comment string. It’s a jetted tub so it must be new, and yet it’s tiled in. My question: how do I (actually the tile guy) get my old tub out and get in a new one with minimal damage to existing tile?? Everyone says it can’t be done. All the plumbers/tile installers want to just break out all of my brownish coral tile 🙁 and re-do the bathtub area with a white fiberglass pre-formed surround :-o. I’m digging in my heels. Need some help, information, and maybe a web article that shows how this can be done. Please help!

    • Jennifer says

      Hi Peggy,
      Start reading about different kinds of tiling and start asking the pros at the tile forums at johnbridge.com . They know about the mud set tiling. The above picture is new tile, probably from B&W, setting in that new tub, but tiled in the old fashioned way, probably with a mud set.
      -Jen

    • Naomi says

      Stick to your guns! I am a tile installer myself and have done plenty of these types of bathrooms so I know it is possible. However things were made to last in those days so it is inevitable that you will have a few tiles broken in the process. May I suggest calling Clay Squared in Minnesota they can send you some vintage tile samples so you can match your color before your project starts. That way you have a source to replace any that may be damaged during the renovation. Good luck 🙂

  3. Robert Trigg says

    I am looking for a case of 4″ bone “wavy” tiles.
    Please advise.

    Thank you,
    Robert W. Trigg

  4. Autumn says

    We have a 50’s pink tile bathroom with mauve trim… what color can I paint the walls to tone the pink down? (Sorry, but I’m not a pink fan…)

  5. carol somsen says

    Yesssssss! This is my first day of looking for pink ceramic bathroom tile. You are the 1st site i have visited. What luck.I giggled when i saw the photo. i will try to send a pic of ours complete with mermaid sliding shower doors!

    • pam kueber says

      Hi Carol, we have lots of info on tile — see the Bathrooms/Tile category for more stories.

  6. Jennifer says

    I recently bought a house that was built in 1956. It still has the original bathrooms and kitchen, pink and brown. The 4 inch tiles are metal, not ceramic or plastic. Is that common?

  7. Isabel says

    Hi,

    I am having my bathroom re-tiled and was wondering where to sell 1953 tiles. I have many black trimmed with black toilet paper holder, toothbrush holder and soap holder as well as many taupe colored 4 1/4″ tiles in perfect condition. The back of the tiles says MOSAIC, made in U.S.A. I’d hate to just throw them away.

    Thanks

  8. Megan says

    I am trying to find out something about the manufacturer of English Ceramic Tiles from the 1950s. These are pale lavender 4.25″ sq tiles from my childhood home, built in 1951, in Arlington, VA. The backside says: ENGLAND TJLtd (in a triangle) 1951/3. Unbelievably, I cannot find anything on the internet. Thank you in advance!

    • pam kueber says

      I’ve asked Bungalow Bill. If he has an answer – I’ll need for you to send me some photos so’s I can publish the answer!

  9. Lori says

    I am an interior designer who is looking for a small amount of 1″ hexagon tile in lavander! Any help would be greatly appreciated!

  10. Bill says

    I called B&W and they said they don’t have any color samples on their website, to see colors they recommended coming here to retrorenovation! This is the only B&W article I can find on the site and it doesn’t have a list of available colors. Can anyone help?

    Seems like one shouldn’t have to work this hard to try and spend money on someone’s product….

      • Bill says

        I guess you just have to keep calling until you get through to someone who knows something. On my third attempt I got through to Deborah Pfahler who e-mailed me a chart with their colors.